Media handing devices that process media bunches must separate the items of media for individual processing downstream within the media handling devices. A media separator is a component of the media handling devices.
A front end component to the media separator is adapted to apply pressure to a bunch of media being fed into the media separator. Depending on a type of media (paper, cotton, polymer notes, cash, checks, etc.) and the condition of the media (new, worn, folded, crumpled, etc.) being inserted into the separator, the friction between the items of media in the bunch can vary greatly. Similarly, if the items of media are folded, curled, sprayed, skewed, etc., the feeding pressure may not be ideal for the separator. For example, if brand new checks are inserted, the inter-item friction in the bunch is much higher than between worn paper/cotton currency notes.
When the feed pressure for the bunch being fed into the media separator is too high, the items being separated from the bunch can separate too slowly or not at all due to excessive friction between the items in the bunch. This creates an increase in inter-item friction, which leads to aggressive feeding that can cause skewing, crumpling, and item damage; thus, increasing the likelihood of critical/fatal fault within the separator.
Similarly, if the feeding pressure is too low, the documents can separate too slowly or not at all due to belt slippage on the items being separated from the bunch of media and thereby causing faults.
Inconvenient faults occur when the items in the bunch do not separate within a set time period. A fatal fault occurs when the inconvenient fault cannot be ejected back out of the media separator due to excessive damage or jamming of an item within the separator.